NASC of Executive Yuan held “2017 Airborne Commendation Awards Ceremony” on November 16, where the certificates of merit were issued at NASC in the morning and trophies were awarded by the Deputy Minister of MOI Lin Tsz-Ling in the afternoon. In the meantime, family members of the awardees were also invited to share the glory. Lin Tsz-Ling expressed that NASC was the government’s only public airborne service corps that was in charge of different airborne missions, particularly those of rescue. Whenever the lives or assets of our people are in danger, NASC is always capable to provide all necessary assistance and therefore represents the hope and opportunity of victims and their families. The commendation ceremony not only recognizes airborne servicemen, but also thanks the efforts of outstanding airborne servicemen.
The awardees of this year include the pilot Wu Kun-Chao, who has abundant flying experiences and has been flown over 20 mountain and sea rescue sorties, and 22 fire rescue and extinguishing sorties. By taking the Yushan Paiyun Lodge mission of 2016 as an example, the person whom was rescued was in an unconscious state due to high-attitude sickness: not only could the aircraft approach the landing area by facing the sun, but also the pilot was unable to look at the rescue zone due to the morning sun. Wu Kun-Chao and other crew members did their very best to help the rescued person to enter the cabin. The mission was completed successfully.
Besides, Chiu Hsien-Cheng, the airborne crew chief in charge of the procurement of Black Hawk, is recognized for conducting works given by the supervisors conscientiously. Chiu was dispatched to the U.S. in 2015 to take the UH-60M helicopter maintenance class and crew chief class. Later in 2016, Chiu was responsible for preparing and checking hoisting equipment and water buckets for the Chinghsiang Drill held in National Day. He also participated in the air show and completed his mission with an extraordinary performance.
Since its establishment in 2005, NASC has, with its professional knowledge and skills and passion, done its very best to implement every mission in order to serve people of the country. Pilot, crew chief or on-duty personnel from other organization have brought the teamwork spirit into full play when implementing rescue missions. Besides, regardless of unfavorable weather conditions and environment, NASC has kept a level head to complete sea rescue, mountain rescue, medical assistance, emergency medical transfer or rescuer, equipment and resource transportation missions in order to provide all citizens a safe living environment.
To the air disaster relief capabilities, NASC has established an all-weather, three-dimensional and highly mobile air disaster relief system. NASC also plans to receive 15 UH-60 Black Hawks by 2020 and distribute them in northern, central and southern Taiwan and East Rift Valley. Some of the said Black Hawks will be stationed in the East Rift Valley by the second half of December and will officially implement the missions next year (2018).
The awardees of 2017 include the pilots Huang Kuan-Lun, Wu Kun-Chao and Chou Li-Ming; airborne crew chiefs Hsu I-Yang, Chiu Hsien-Cheng, Yao Wan-Hsiung and Lin Kuo-Pin; and on-duty personnel from other organization, including the COA administrator Wu Tsung-Chang, National Fire Agency member Chen Chih-Hung and sales personnel Chen Shu-Ching.